How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

bertiebots

redlady_1 wrote: »

Well, looks like the second job has gone as no one is going out drinking/eating so they dont need me at the moment! Absolutely gutted as I was banking on that making the money up that I lost from being off sick!

Looks like rice for breakfast, dinner and tea from now on.

That sucks! Here is a ((hug)) and hope that something sorts itself out for you.

I am feeling quite lucky after reading all your trials due to ME etc and need to start embracing my reasonably good health:D
Although I haven't been that high energy today!!!..I really get out of whack in the school holidays and am starting to panick slightly about next week. School is closed on monday so I will have a short week but once the -school run, work, cook and clean etc,school run, work- day starts I am not sure how I am going to cope:eek: I wish it wasnt in my nature to worry ...because its going to happen whether I worry or not!
The kids are adjusting quite well and get so see a bit more of their dad during the week..so I am sure its going to be fine.
I was also panicking about filling in the horrendous form that is the council tax benefit claim form ..phoned them and discovered i just need to send them the change of circumstances form..few! just need to get my new employer to fill it in, but don't know who to ask:eek::cool: will be phoning the lady who interviewed me again..to ask:o

No spherical golden objects in the sky today either:mad:

jackieglasgow

Gailey I would just leave some wet kitchen roll or a damp cloth on it to let it soften then wipe as normal.

Charis

starsandmoon wrote: »

Just had my statement for my water bill. They want £32 a month!! Do you think a meter would be cheaper?

I had mine this week - ten monthly payments of £49.93

Like you I was wondering about getting a meter. If the bill goes up another 5%, I'll be paying £10 a week just for water. I only live in a small bungalow, and there's just me now. I do have a large garden but don't usually need to use a hose, even at the height of summer.

mrswive

starsandmoon - I find having a water meter has saved quite a bit, and I also find that it makes you think about your usage and become far less wasteful. It's hard to believe sometimes in this country, but water is a precious resource.
I think the general rule is that if you have less people in your home than bedrooms, then a meter is well worth having.

GreyQueen

I'm having a woo-woo moment. I just come off the last call of my workday and log on the thread and that call and the thread are about water meters.......(insert Twilight Zone theme music). I'm spooked now.

I've has a meter for 5.5 years and am on a special low user tariff with my water board. I'd be paying £467.50 via the council for an unmetered supply (the tariff is set by the water company). On a meter, with 6 monthly billing, I pay just over £90.00 a year.

If you ring your water company, tell them the numbers and ages of your household and what appliances you have (eg washing machine/ dishwasher) they'll be able to tell you if you'd be better off. I'm, averaging £1.26 a week on water.

I do wash myself and clothes and home btw

bertiebots

Charis wrote: »

I had mine this week - ten monthly payments of £49.93

Like you I was wondering about getting a meter. If the bill goes up another 5%, I'll be paying £10 a week just for water. I only live in a small bungalow, and there's just me now. I do have a large garden but don't usually need to use a hose, even at the height of summer.

I have a water meter and it works out at £20 p/m and is definatley cheeper than rates..thats for a family of 4 btw. When my x oh was here it was £25 p/m so its roughly £5 per person:D

OrkneyStar

So we went out on our picnic and had a lovely time- took only food from home too and we loved it!
Then went for a walk along the beach and DS got some more pebbles to add to his collection (all for free....tiny ones so hoping the beach won't miss them!).
Visited charity shops too, DS got a brand new matchbox car (no box) for 10p in one shop and I got three woollen jumpers, two pretty much brand new hand knits in a lovely pattern that I would not have patience to knit, and a lovely shop bought almost new one, plus a next shirt for DS and a pair of doodles plimsoles for £4 total! Super. Also a couple of bits in Tesco that we needed, but was under £6 .

Re the water meter I had one in Stevenage, but that was about 15 yrs ago, and it cost about £100 for 1 year. Up here if you have mains water (most people do) and sewerage (a lot don't in Orkney) it is a set amount, paid along with the council tax. I still do try to be sensible with water as it is a valuable resource!, although DS is bad for running taps!

de1amo

im really peeved off with my place there not having a water meter--the block has been quoted 3k to have them installed but the management committee refuse to go with it--i hate to think what i am paying per month out of my block fee that includes water and sewage -i just know my biggest outgoing is my block fee--it 33pc higher than my mortgage!!

alec_eiffel

redlady_1 wrote: »

Well, looks like the second job has gone as no one is going out drinking/eating so they dont need me at the moment! Absolutely gutted as I was banking on that making the money up that I lost from being off sick!

Looks like rice for breakfast, dinner and tea from now on.

I had to do that for a wee while once when I had no money. Rice and popcorn every day for every meal! I know I've mentioned it before on here, its not fun but it's not as bad as it could have been. Not good if you don't need to lose weight though...

Hippeechiq

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Hippeechiq I am thoroughly pee'ed off on your behalf. I recently had to see a doctor for an assessment for my employers. He told me straight away that he was not a specialist in either condition that I had and that he was a GP who did these assessments as a way of making extra income. HE could not comment on how fit I was or otherwise for work and that his report would basically just be a record of the conversation we had, had. I told him when I was planning on returning to work, which he thought sounded fine, but not to rush things (!). The Occupational Health nurse wound me right up when she called him a specialist. I told her he was not and got a lecture from her about asking people their qualifications when the company had been good enough to send me :mad: You couldn't make it up. They should only have people with knowledge of the condition doing these types of jobs.

Jeez! What a farce! You simply cannot be correctly assessed by someone who isn't qualified to assess you, and you had every right to question his ability to assess you. Your OH's attitude would have wound me up to!

jackieglasgow wrote: »

I can't remember - does your daughter not qualify for DLA?

Yes - she was awarded the lowest band last week. So they acknowledge that her illness is a disability - which it is.

I had to fight - and I mean fight, for 18 months before I got a correct diagnosis and treatment for her illness, seeing GPs, Psychologists and Psychiatrists before finding one who specialised in her particular illness, which is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. And yet this numpty who I'm going to see will assess her mental state in 40 minutes, file his report and send it to yet another numpty who - not even having made DDs acquaintance - will decide from said report whether or not she is fit for work.....it's beyond farcical. And it's so, so wrong.

But thank you for your supportive post Jackie and also de1amo and happierdaystocome - it means a lot :kisses3:

redlady_1 Really sorry to hear about your 2nd job hun :grouphug: